Pitino tells PG he's 'perfect fit' for U of L

Jody Demling

11/06/2014

University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino spent some time recruiting on Thursday in Florida, including a stop at Oldsmar, Fla., Christian to see 2016 guard Eric Hester. Cardinal Authority checks in with Hester after the visit.

University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino spent some time recruiting in Florida today, watching three prospects for the future.

Pitino - and assistant coach Mike Balado - started at Tampa, Fla., Prep where he watched 2016 forward Juwan Durham. The 6-foot-9 Durham is a five-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 24 prospect nationally.

U of L offered Durham a scholarship more than a year ago and Pitino watched him several times during the summer recruiting period.

Pitino and Balado then went to Oldsmar, Fla., Christian to see 2016 guard Eric Hester. The 6-foot-3 Hester is ranked as the No. 97 prospect in the '16 class.

A top target for the Cardinals in '16, Hester has also been on the Cardinals' radar for more than a year. Olsdmar coach Jordan Fair said Pitino seemed impressed again.

"Pitino said he fits well with what they do," Fair said. "And I do. I think defensively he fits in extremely well. I personally think he's the best defender in the 2016 class, in the guard spot. But I am a little biased.

"I think offensively, the way they run the two point guard set would greatly benefit him. I really think he would thrive in their two point guard set."

Fair said Hester - who has offers from U of L, Florida, Miami, Central Florida, Florida State, South Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech and Mississippi - has "improved a lot" since the end of the summer.

"He has become such a better leader and has become a much better shooter," Fair said. "I always thought he shot it well. But he has become a much better leader and more comfortable at the point guard position."

Fair said Pitino was also watching one of his younger guys to evaluate him - 2017 combo guard L.J. Figueroa. The 6-foot-5 Figueroa has a 7-foot wing span and Fair said he "is really long and lanky. He's young and can really score the ball."